The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-12-04
A Careful Census Has Been Taken, and It Is
Found that Manhattan Island Contains
Only Seven Hundred of the Right Sort.
How 1t Came that John Jacob Astor Gave
100000 to Found a Cancer Hospital.
The Kind of Wardrobe Miriam Has at Her
Command, and the Disposition She Makes
Twice Year of Her Surplus Apparel.
Special to the Indianapolis Joarn.,.


NEW YORK, Dec. 3.--A census of good soci-
ETY. has just been made in this city, and it is
found that out of podulation of nearly two
millions-counting in the metropolis and its
suburbs-only seven hundred are qualified to
rank with the best In a republic, where the
notion is outrageousy general that behavior is
the true test of worthiness, it requires an au-
thofitatiye edict once in a while to squelch the
leveling tendency. The Patriarchs have done
the job this time. They are an organization of
intensely swell gentlemen who give annual balls
at Delmonico's. and they put what they regard
as their minds to the drawing of the line dis
tnctively between society and common peo-
pie. The Patriarchs' next ball is to occur this
month. Ward McAlGster an old beau of un-
questioned standing, is the high mogul Every
autumn he makes out a careful list of ninety
nine other real gentlemen, making a hundred in
all. They constitute the Patriarchs and they
were chosen early this week. Theyare assessed
$50 apiece for fund with which TO pay the balls
costs of music and supper. Upon them is placed
the awful responsibility of issuing invitations,
Tor the documents are substantially credentials
of the highest possible character, proving that
the holder is ''in society" Each one in the hun
dred names seven persons. The number
is based on careful and critical estimate that
women in all New York quite worthy of the
glorious distinction. The separate lists of seven
sent to McAllister who calls secret meet
ing of the entire hundred to whom the names
read. and single vote against a candidate
is sufficient for exclusion. All of which is funny
to the reader. but very momentous to the small
coterie of persons concerned. When Mrs Will
lam Astor gave notable ball, two years ago,
she extended her invitations to eight hundred
and was by her friends considered liberal con-
siderlng how sacred are the precincts of ''soci-
ety." Thus you will see that, so far as New
York is concerned, there may be upper ten
thousand" but towering altitudinously above
them are less than one thousand of positive
superlatives
However, let us not abuse the Astor sort of
folks. There is a great deal of good in them.
All that is required IS something to bring it out.
The newspapers have this week reported the
opening OF new cancer hospital for women
and it mentioned, quite incidentally. that
John Jacob Astor had given two hundred thou
sand dollars to the endowment fund How he
came to do SO remains for me to tell. Ann Cor
rigan was servant in the Astor household
She developed cancer. The family doctor
could not her, several specialists also failed
and Ann died of disease that puzzles and de
hes medical skill Thus the subject of suffering
from cancer was brought to the attention of
John Jacob Astor. thousand philanthropsts
might have talked it to him without avail for
millionaires ealloused against charity ap-
peas; but when he actually saw Ann Corrisan
tC.tured to death, in spite of all the hindrances
that money could buy, his pity was reached
He at once consulted with expert medical men,
and they told him that, possibly, under condi-
tions favorable for close observation and expert
ment, successful treatment for the disease
might be discovered. He employed physicians
and architects TO plan hospital from which no
conceivable appliance should be left out. 1t is
exclusively for women
Good ventilation is especially desirable said
a doctor
There is no house that have ever been in that
was well ventilated said Mr. Astor ''as the
Metropolitan Opera house My box there is q
model in that respect. Why not ventilate the
hospital the same as the Metropolitan"
Thus it happens that ventilating apparatus
originally devised to save the low necked and
sleeveless danes and damsels from catching cold
at the grand opera, is duplicated for the benefit
of the doomed, cancerons creatures in the new
hospital. The air is drawn in directly from out
doors. heated by passing over a steam coil.
forced by a fan into all parts of the cellar, and
thence rises in pipes TO the rooms where it is
delivered in way to preclude draughts.
Two dissipations of forbidden kind are newly
indulged in by nice girls who trifie venture
some One is the whisky cocktail and the other
is the variety -theater matinee. The first is not
so wicked as it seems, but the other is rather
worse. In the fancy goods stores. candy shops,
and apothecaries places are bars for women.
These called soda stands but the beverages
have grown into wide range of mixed drinks.
not few of which are alcoholic but in very
mild way. just now it is the favorite deviltry
of Fifth-avenue maidens to slyly call for whisky
cocktails. What they get is the faintest sort of
a semblance of the real masculine thing-about
d teaspoonful of whisky, twice as much of win
tergreen cordial and dilution of sugar and
water. This they swallow with sense of covert
wickedness that imparts delightful flavor to
the almost harmless concoctlon only equaled by
the effeminate dudes lemonade with fendish
ginger in it
AS to the variety-show escapades, they are
confined to theater near Broadway, and at |
matnees, when no smoking is allowed, and
where the city ordinance against the sale of in
toxicants in auditoriums is enforced. So there |
is nothing pernicious in the establishment itself
But the entertainment is often coarse and
rough and the actresses are not altogether linn
tied by the rules of drawing room propriety.
For instance, party of Murray Hill girls, out !
fitted with chaperone. went to the show
Wednesday. young woman came to the foot |
lights skirtlessly attired, as if for gymnastic
trammeled by draperies The gentle spectators |
saw that some trapeze trappings were hung at |
the side of the stage. and they looked with equa
nimity to see her risk her neck in an athletic |
way Not so. She was a vocalist Very senti- |
mental, too. She sang pathetic ballad with |
the refrain. "Last night / was thinking of |
mother and heaven" The girls were shocked |
dreadfully. But their visit had been rendered |
piquant. and that was a comfort.
But their shock nothing at all compared |
to that of the audiences which have this week |
assembled to realization of .iShe," the |
beautiful creature of Haggards |
novel do not remember a more eager lot of |
women and girls than those who, at yesterdays
matinee, assembled to view the marvellous |
loveliness. Now, it may be that the manage |
nent, despairing of meeting expectation, con-
Guided to save money by making no effort /
When the veil was lifted from the face of the |
impersonator of '.She,' ioveliness seen |
nor even ordinary prettiness. but the distinctly
plain visage of commonplace woman. But in |
the current Irving drama is vision of angels
so artisticaly seraphic that the women 20 de- |